In Japan, a traditional ceramic repair art known as kintsugi is extolled, which consists of repairing broken objects using a very strong adhesive that is sprayed with gold dust. As a result, the ceramics are not only repaired but also stronger than the original.
Instead of hiding them, the flaws and cracks are accentuated and appreciated because they add a new level of aesthetic complexity and transform that piece into a one-of-a-kind work. This is why repaired ceramics increase their value; for the Japanese, an object that has broken is more beautiful and precious because it has much more to tell.
If we applied this perspective to our lives, experiences and emotional problems, we could become stronger and more resilient people.
Anxiety: An unexpected and unwanted travel companion
Anxiety is the antithesis of serenity, so it's understandable that no one wants to feel anxious. That widespread feeling of anguish, fear and apprehension slowly robs us of every moment of our life and prevents us from fully enjoying them and keeps us trapped in the vicious circle that generates anxiety around us. This is why many people feel that anxiety involves constant struggle.
Anxiety usually comes without warning to turn into an unexpected travel companion. At first it is normal for you to feel uncomfortable or hate it with every fiber of your being. You feel that she has come to ruin you, that she has absorbed the person you were before.
If you have been suffering from anxiety for a long time, it is likely that it occupies every molecule in your body. It is always present, it accompanies you everywhere, to the point of fully identifying with it.
But you are also many other things. In fact, many positive things can arise from that unpleasant feeling. Anxiety also has a creative nature, it can generate feelings, emotions and thoughts which, if used well, can nourish your personality.
A stepping stone to becoming a stronger and more resilient person
Some people succumb to anxiety, others become stronger. The difference lies not in the situations they have had to face during their life, but in the attitude they have taken.
It is true that it is not always possible to banish the anxiety of our life, it is difficult to eliminate a part of who we are, especially when it comes to character anxiety. However, some people learn to manage anxiety, control it, and even use it to their advantage.
There is no doubt that a person who can deliver a speech, despite having tremendous stage fright, has great courage and extraordinary strength. The same force that accompanies those who dare to leave the house every day to face life, even though their minds continually bombard them with talk of failure.
It is the strength of those who dare to listen to their emotions and feelings, instead of trying to hide them. These people are self-aware, they know their weaknesses and they don't pretend to be invulnerable, but they struggle every day to improve. Therefore, anxiety can become the stepping stone that allows you to grow and be more resilient.
You just need to realize everything you have accomplished
Anxiety is a fear that projects itself into the future, which means that its natural enemy is the past. Yesterday is history, so it doesn't have to scare you or generate anxiety.
Therefore, one of the strategies for getting the most out of anxiety is to look to the past honestly, without the filter of resentment, nostalgia or remorse, so that you can be fully aware of all that has been accomplished.
You will notice that this path was not "perfect". In fact, it is important that you focus on the most difficult times because when everything went wrong and you still managed to find the strength to carry on, that's when you grew up the most.
The certainty that, no matter what happens, you will be able to handle it, is usually enough to deal with any kind of fear or anxiety.
